USA > Pennsylvania > Lycoming County > Picture of Lycoming County, Vol. 2 > Part 4
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Improvements were not limited to the mall area. Over the entire downtown area, 315 trees were planted, potted plants were set along the sidewalk, and bicycle racks were in- stalled. The Center-City Mall was officially dedicated on November 15, 1976. Critics of the mall had complained that the loss of parking spaces on Pine Street would further re- strict parking. Though there were 260 parking spaces lost when the mall was constructed, there were still about 2,000 parking spaces in the downtown area. However, the walking distance from some of the parking areas to the downtown continued to be a problem.
The cost of the improvements to the downtown was $1, 690,000 and was shared by downtown property owners, the Williamsport Redevelopment Authority, the Williamsport Foundation, and Lycoming County. The entire cost of improvements to the mall were paid by the downtown property owners. No capital was raised through city taxes.
A year earlier on September 1, 1975, Mayor John Coder began planting pine trees along Pine Street for a controversial 90-day trial mall he named the Pine Park Mall. He stated that his proposed mall was much less expensive and would not remove the valuable on-street parking on Pine Street. He stressed the urgency of opening a mall downtown before the Lycoming Mall opened. Williamsport City Council held an emergency meeting the afternoon of September 1, and won a temporary injunction to halt the work on the mall. Mayor Coder was later ordered by Williamsport City Council to re- move the trees and to restore the street and sidewalk.
Over the last four decades, downtown Williamsport has shifted westward. Market Square, once a thriving shopping center, lost its strength to the Pine Street area. One of the largest Market Square businesses was the Growers' Mar- ket which closed in 1974 after four decades at the same site. When the lease to the building was lost, venders were scattered about the county and many closed their busi- nesses. In the mid-1950's as many as 200 farmers sold their produce at the Growers' Market. The large building was filled with smells of locally produced fruits and vegetables as well as farm-fresh eggs and meats.
In the last ten years, the mall area has changed as some older stores closed and others came to fill the vacancies.
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Ulman's
FRIST MENSWEAR
VARSITY
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Center City Mall. Williamsport
MIDAS
MUFFLER SHOPS
PLA
RestaurEn
"Golden Strip"
he's
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Lycoming Mall, Halls, Pa.
Prior and Sallada Company, Inc., located on West Fourth Street, closed in 1977. It was established in 1896 by W. R. Prior and Wilbur Sallada. Sears, Roebuck, and Company, which opened in downtown Williamsport in 1928, moved to the Ly- coming Mall in 1978 after fifty years in downtown William- sport. In 1974, Carroll House, closed leaving a large va- cant building on the corner of Pine and Third streets. The large department store, which had opened in 1929, operated under the name of Lycoming Dry Goods Company until 1947. The building was bought by Fidelity Bank and Trust Company in 1974.
In 1971, W. T. Grant Company moved from its West Fourth Street location to Loyal Plaza after forty-one years down- town. The entire chain went bankrupt in 1975.
Several established stores have continued to operate in downtown Williamsport. L. L. Stearns and Sons was estab- lished by Laten Legg Stearns in 1850 in Jersey Shore. In 1865 he shipped his merchandise downriver by raft to Wil- liamsport where railroad connections made Williamsport a more important trading center. L. L. Stearns and Sons was located at Market Square until 1888 when it moved to the corner of Third and Pine streets, eventually expanding to an adjoining building over four floors. L. L. Stearns and Sons is the oldest family owned, family operated depart- ment store in the United States.
D. S. Andrus and Company was founded in 1860 by D. S. Andrus, whose partner in the late 1860's was William R. Vanderbelt. Andrus was a prominent Williamsport citizen following the Civil War.
A. B. Neyhart and Emmanuel E. Andrews, Sr. established Neyhart's, Inc. in 1870. Soon after it opened, the store expanded to an adjoining building where it has remained since its opening.
The Otto Book Store was established in Market Square in 1877 by Alexander M. Dean. The store was named for H. Y. Otto, a partner. It later moved to West Fourth Street.
Harder Sporting Goods Company was established in 1883 by George H. Harder, a maker of custom-made guns. Soon after opening, the store began to sell fishing equipment and other sporting goods. In 1903, the store moved from West Fourth Street to Pine Street.
Attracted by the established businesses, at least a dozen stores opened or relocated in the mall area the year be- fore it opened. Many establishments renovated their build- ings and made improvements. L. L. Stearns and Sons and Fidelity National Bank of Pennsylvania, which had moved into
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the Carroll House building, made renovations and refaced the buildings they occupied. Many other center-city build- ings had been cleaned or painted to give the downtown a fresher, newer appearance.
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QUESTIONS CHAPTER 4
1. What is the population of the county? What fraction live in the city? In "greater Williamsport"?
2. What are the population trends for the county and city?
3. Name some of the older merchandising firms in William- sport.
4. What measures have been taken to promote retail trade in Williamsport?
5. What other important shopping centers exist in the county?
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Chapter 5
MAJOR FLOODS AND THE DIKES
Lycoming County is no stranger to the capricious ways of the weather, particularly as it relates to rain and floods. The predominance of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and its five major tributaries has made the destruction of flooding a common threat to county residents during times of heavy rain and high water. Yet the record of major devastating floods is limited to a relative few.
Prior to our period of concentration, the flood of March, 1936 was the most destructive on record. With a flood stage of 15 feet at the Market Street Bridge in William- sport, the 1936 level reached 33.6 feet. Major sections of the county were inundated, including downtown William- sport. Indeed, this was the flood which spurred action toward the construction of flood dikes in Williamsport and South Williamsport, providing inestimable protection from future floods -- and future floods there were.
THE 1946 FLOOD
Just ten years after the record breaker of 1936, the county was again victim to another severe flood on May 29 and 30, 1946. This was the third worst flood to strike Williamsport to that date. Cloudbursts had occurred over the upper por- tions of Pine and Lycoming creeks emptying large amounts of water into the Susquehanna River, already swollen from pre- vious heavy rains during May. The results were predictable. The regions along Lycoming Creek experienced their worst flooding ever. Property damages reached several hundred thousand dollars in the area from High Street in William- sport to Roaring Branch. Also, along the Susquehanna River from Jersey Shore to Muncy extensive flooding routed resi- dents for the second time in ten years. The Red Cross came through with aid to victims of the flood providing some relief and comfort to those most in need.
The final river reading in Williamsport for the 1946 flood was 29.6 feet, about four feet under the 1936 record. Nevertheless, downtown Williamsport endured the ravages of flooding again. There were no Memorial Day celebrations in 1946 as businessmen and residents were busy moving mer- chandise and belongings to higher ground. At first the Flood Forecasting Service predicted there would be no flooding in Williamsport but when reports of the heavy rains in northern parts of the county became known, the first emergency forecast was issued. Downtown Williamsport stores, offices and churches all were swept by the flood waters of May, 1946, which while not a record-breaking flood, was to be distinguished as the last flood to invade downtown Williamsport. Thirty percent of the city was hit.
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THE "AGNES" FLOOD
After 1946, floods of minor and varied severity afflicted unprotected towns along the river and creeks, usually in the spring when ice jams, melting snow and falling rain provide ideal flooding conditions. Yet the worst flood ever to strike Lycoming County was not attributed to ice jams and melting snow but to a ferocious hurricane known as "Agnes" which had strayed inland over Pennsylvania. It seemed that widespread destructive floods had become a thing of the past, and it was common for young people to hear their parents and grandparents refer to the "36 flood" as a kind of historical benchmark -- that is until the advent of hurricane Agnes in June, 1972.
The Agnes flood equals no other in sheer volume of water or destructive force. With the exception of Williamsport and South Williamsport where the dikes saved both communities from overwhelming disaster, most towns and rural areas in the county experienced unparalleled damage to roads and bridges, homes, stores, fields and barns. In some places, houses, bridges and other normally secure objects were swept away by raging water like so many pebbles in a stream. Roads were washed away and closed for days, some for months. The Agnes flood is without peer and provided Lycoming County with its worst natural disaster in history.
RECORD RAINFALL
This record-breaking flood was the consequence of the re- cord rainfall Agnes emptied on the region. She emptied a total of 13.52 inches of rain on Lycoming County -- more than any other storm in history. The storm also set a record for the greatest 24-hour rainfall with 8.66 inches on June 22. And the highest total rainfall recorded for any month was set in June, 1972 with 16.8 inches. For a period of four solid days rain cascaded on Lycoming County and most of Pennsylvania without subsiding or slackening.
WILLIAMSPORT SPARED
No event before or since hurricane Agnes has caused more hardship and destruction to more people in Lycoming County. Had there been no dikes in Williamsport, or had they not held, the damage and devastation would have been difficult if not impossible to calculate. Instead, Williamsport served as the major distribution point for the county and communities in several other counties for many basic ne- cessities, such as food, electrical equipment, clothing and home furnishings. All over the county, people along streams, creeks and the Susquehanna River were forced to take refuge in evacuation centers in schools and church halls. Many others more fortunate were forced to contend
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METHODIST CHURCH
M
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P
Agnes flood photographs courtesy of Grit Publishing Company
ESSO
The Agnes Flood
June, 1972
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TSBU .: #
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THORNTON'S
HARDWARE
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Fourth and Market Streets during 1946 flood
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West Branch Valley from Montgomery Pike during Agnes flood
with water in cellars without electricity to operate pumps.
The drama of hurricane Agnes intensified on Thursday, June 22 when 9.5 inches of rain fell in little over 24 hours, bringing the river depth to 14 feet and rising at the Mar- ket Street Bridge, after a two-foot reading on Tuesday, June 20. In Williamsport, Mayor John R. Coder declared a state of emergency and set up evacuation centers at the Salvation Army headquarters and the Roosevelt and Stevens Junior High Schools. In South Williamsport a number of residents on Hastings and Main streets were instructed to evacuate their homes, and the rear portion of the First Ward Fire Company building fell into the teaming Hager- man's Run.
THE COUNTY PARALYZED
By late Thursday night and early Friday morning, June 23, flood conditions had reached their peak, and the county was effectively paralyzed with major sections isolated. By Friday morning Montoursville was virtually cut off due to the flooding along Loyalsock Creek which blocked travel on Routes 87 and 220. Large areas of Jersey Shore were submerged in water, which reached as far up Allegheny Street as Wylie Street, and to Pfouts Run on Locust Street.
The other two boroughs along the flood plain of the river which had extensive flooding were Muncy and Montgomery. Virtually the entire eastern half of Muncy was innundated, with the heart of the flooding centered along Water Street. The flood waters on Main Street nearly reached the Common- wealth Bank; on Washington Street the water went several yards beyond the intersection with Bruner Street. Flooding in Montgomery was similarly extensive with most of the borough south of Montgomery Street under water. Portions of Montgomery between North Main Street and Kinsey Street were also affected.
DESTRUCTION ALONG RIVER TRIBUTARIES
Some of the greatest damage attributed to Agnes occurred along the river's tributaries, especially Pine and Loyal- sock creeks. Describing the devastation along Pine Creek, the Williamsport Sun-Gazette reported: "Only those struc- tures on high ground or those with good foundations remain. It looks like a large battering ram went through the valley taking everything out in its path. "
Indeed, the destruction along Pine Creek was astounding. Of the 24 houses at the little village of Ramsey south of Waterville, only five remained. All the rest were swept off their foundations or disappeared completely. House trailers were wrapped around trees. Parts of houses,
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cottages, cars and other debris were scattered throughout the valley turning it into a virtual rubbish heap.
Even wildlife was disrupted by the extraordinary weather and flooding, as some residents along Pine Creek saw young bear cubs come out of the woods seeking food dumped onto porches from water-soaked refrigerators and cupboards.
The flooding at Waterville and south, according to an ob- server, seemed to occur in minutes after water finally went over the spillway at Little Pine Dam. One very sad casualty of flooding along Pine Creek was the suspension foot-bridge at Camp Kline, one of Pennsylvania's most in- teresting bridges and a source of fun and fear to many a Boy Scout.
Similar tales to those of Pine Creek can be told, in turn, of Larry's Creek, Lycoming, Loyalsock and the Muncy creeks. The heavy rains had turned these usually mild-mannered fishing streams into raging torrents, destroying everything in their path. State roads were especially vulnerable. There was nothing left of Route 87 below Shore Acres after the Loyalsock had washed out a 3,000-foot section down to creek-bed level. Numerous bridges, too, were washed out or rendered unsafe.
UTILITIES DISRUPTED
The Agnes flood was highly disruptive of utilities in the county. Montoursville residents were required to boil their drinking water or add prescribed amounts of iodine or chlorine bleach for nearly three days to kill any germs which may have contaminated the water. This was a result of the landslide from Skyline Drive lookout into the borough reservoir in Gibsons Hollow.
Many regions lost electricity for as long as 18 to 24 hours, and thousands of phone customers lost service for extended periods, hampering communications.
DAMAGE IN THE MILLIONS
By Saturday, June 24, the rain had stopped and the worst of the flooding was over. The crest at Williamsport came at 10:30 P.M. Friday, June 23. After some controversy and disagreement between county and National Weather Service officials, the official crest at Williamsport was set at 34.75 feet, just two and one-quarter feet below the top of the dikes. Williamsport narrowly escaped a major disaster owing to the flood control dams along the West Branch watershed which lower the river level by three feet. Had the dams not existed, water would have gone over the dikes with three-quarters of a foot to spare.
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E
.... ..
Lyalsock
"Golden Strip" during Agnes flood
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Evacuation center at Williamsport's Stevens Junior High School during Agnes flood
Memorial Avenue Bridge, Williamsport, during Agnes flood
Groundbreaking ceremony for dikes November 26, 1940 L to R: John G. Youngman, Sr., John Murray Il. T. Allison, E. S. Frymire, J. F. Collier, C. E. Noyes and S. R. Hipple
As soon as water receded to manageable levels, the total extent of the damage in the county became visible and clean- up operations got underway. In some places looting of flooded stores led to the imposition of curfews, as in Loyalsock Township at the Loyal Plaza Shopping Center. The total damage estimate to commercial, industrial and agri- cultural plants and goods in Lycoming County was set at $10 million by the Williamsport Chamber of Commerce. This, however, did not include losses to personal property which raised the total much higher.
RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS
One of the first organizations to set up relief operations was the American Red Cross. Opening their disaster relief headquarters at the Army Reserve Center on Four Mile Drive on Tuesday, June 27, the Red Cross served persons in need of many essential articles, including money for rent, minor house repairs or down payments on appliances. When Presi- dent Nixon declared Pennsylvania a disaster area on June 30, federal aid for housing and other services became available. The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development purchased apartments and mobile homes to house persons whose homes were destroyed.
The 1970 Federal Disaster Relief Act made available Small Business Administration low interest loans for repairing homes and businesses. Also, loans of up to $10,000 were available for replacing household goods. Unemployment benefits were available for persons put out of work by the flood, in the amount of Pennsylvania's own compensation program of $81 a week for up to 30 weeks. Area farmers were eligible for loans from the Farmers Home Administration in an effort to recover from damages to crops, livestock and equipment. Some of the smaller loans were forgiven, depending upon the individual's financial situation.
MONTHS OF CLEANUP
While assistance from both the federal and state govern- ments helped many people recover more quickly from the flood than would otherwise have been possible, it still took many weeks and months before complete recuperation was achieved. Some businesses and communities, in fact, never fully recovered.
State contractors worked many weeks rebuilding roads and securing bridges. Homes had to be rebuilt, and many hours of hosing mud from stores, homes, garages and barns were required. Even though the cleanup operations and major repairs have long since been accomplished, Agnes remains a name which commands fear and awe from Lycoming County residents. In the annals of our county's history, Agnes became the greatest history maker of all.
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A CAMPAIGN FOR DIKES
Though Williamsport residents can hardly imagine living without flood protection, for years the building of dikes was a controversial and disquieting issue for the community. The history of the dikes is something of a story in itself. Williamsport and South Williamsport suffered periodic flood- ing all through their histories, but it took nearly 75 years to arouse sufficient public support and concern to bring the dikes into being.
As far back as the late 1800's, Williamsport merchants agitated to do something about the recurrent flooding which imperiled the city; however, building effective and secure dikes was no easy or inexpensive proposition. The ob- stacles to dike construction in Williamsport prevented serious movement towards them for many years.
Then, after the devastating 1936 flood which took the lives of three county residents, the tide was turned in favor of the dikes. It became obvious to civic, commercial and government leaders that flood control for Williamsport was vital to the city's economic health. Most leaders of the community recognized that the economic benefits of dikes would far outweigh the cost of building and maintaining them. The organization most responsible for promoting this message was the Community Trade Association, the fore- runner to the Williamsport Chamber of Commerce. Due to its untiring efforts, the dikes finally became a reality.
MONEY A STUMBLINGBLOCK
By 1940 the pro-dike element in Williamsport had in its favor a commitment by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to meet all design and construction costs of the dike project from federal government flood control appropriations. This left only land damage, easement and right-of-way costs to be met by the local municipalities. Williamsport's ex- penses were estimated at between $300,000 and $350,000. Immediately, local opponents of the project objected to the price. As always, money became the stumblingblock.
Then in January, 1940, the issue of dikes came to a head when President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced that no new federal projects would be started after July 1st of that year. Williamsport and South Williamsport thus had only a few short months to decide whether they wanted the flood control project to start in 1940, or not at all. Indirectly, then, it was the President of the United States who forced the hand of local leaders on the issue of the flood control project by threatening to withdraw construc- tion funds.
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STRONG SUPPORT FOR DIKES
As soon as local officials were informed of the President's proposed austerity measures, the Community Trade Association and other commercial and civic groups intensified their campaign in support of the dikes construction. Williamsport attorney John C. Youngman Sr. was named chairman of the Community Trade Association's Flood Control Committee back in March, 1935, prior to the 1936 flood. Mr. Youngman's efforts proved essential to the success of the flood control campaign.
Various other groups, such as labor and fraternal organi- zations, also ran newspaper advertisements urging action. Even church congregations -- which stood to benefit from dikes -- went on record in support of dike construction. The Community Trade Association sponsored a flood control slo- gan contest in March, 1940. Prizes of $25, $15 and $10 were offered. Town meetings and flood control forums were held to inform residents of the benefits and importance of dikes. For a period of several months, the flood con- trol project dominated Williamsport's front pages, official meetings, and informal discussions.
DIKES REFERENDA APPROVED
In the end, however, just as it was taxpayers who objected most strongly to the flood control expenditures, it was the taxpayers who approved the bond issues to build the dikes. In special referenda held in April, 1940, the voters in both Williamsport and South Williamsport voted overwhelmingly in favor of the dikes.
No doubt the extensive public relations effort had a major effect on the outcome of the referenda. Other contributing factors were the state's agreement to pay half the cost of land damages and rights-of-way, while the county agreed to pay $100,000. This lowered the city's share to $175,000, which seemed worth the expenditure. South Williamsport voters approved the $35,000 bond issue for that borough.
Despite the long publicity campaign, the most persuasive factor in favor of the dikes proved to be the work of Providence. Just one day before the Williamsport referen- dum, a flood warning very nearly caused its postponement. After several days of rain and excessive snow melt, the river at Market Street reached a depth of 22.74 feet. Had the river crested any higher, downtown Williamsport would have been swimming in water. There was little question in the minds of many community leaders at the time that the threat of another flood so close to the referendum spoke louder in favor of flood control than all the words uttered during the campaign. This incident was followed by another
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ironic fact: Williamsport did not finally need to issue bonds, as the city found enough money from other sources to meet its obligations for the dikes.
Bids were advertised in October, 1940, for construction of the first unit of dikes, which included the area from the High Street Bridge along the eastern bank of Lycoming Creek, and then eastward along the river bank to Maynard Street. Ground breaking ceremonies were held on November 26, 1940, which despite the cold weather, several hundred people attended to watch Mayor Leo C. Williamson turn the first shovel of dirt. The ceremony took place between Fourth Street and the ball park along Lycoming Creek, the location of the first section to be built.
WORLD WAR II HINDERS DIKES CONSTRUCTION
Even with the groundbreaking, however, the delays in the dike construction were far from over. Before construction ever got off the ground, World War II intervened. The Army Engineers diverted money and men to projects directly connected to defense work. The dikes were placed on the back burner for the duration of the war. But by the middle of 1946 the war was over and dike construction finally got underway in earnest.
THE DIKES COMPLETED
Final completion of the dikes was to take nine years. In August, 1955, the work was finished and Williamsport, South Williamsport and Newberry had flood protection for the first time. The final cost of the project was put at $15,250,000. The dikes consist of approximately 13} miles of dike walls and levees, along with ten pumping stations.
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